Foot-measuring device.



PATENTED OCT. 24;, 1905.

W. J. GOODBAR.

FOOT MEASURING DEVICE.

r I I 1 b ll LEE- APPLIUATION FILED JULY 29.1904.

lUTTE STATES PATENT FOOT-"MEASURING DEVlCIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed July 29, 1904:. Serial No. 218,7 1?- To alt whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. GooDBAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Foot- Measuring Devices, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in foot-measuring devices; andit consists in the novel construction of appliance more fully set forthin the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the measuring device, showing thefoot applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 8 isa horizontal section on lline 3 3 of Fig. 5. Fig. A is a longitudinalvertical section on line 4 A of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a cross verticalsection on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for shoe-dealers toenable them to readily and accurately measure the dimensions of thefoot, which are essential for determining the size of shoe correspondingthereto. As is well known, the usual measurements taken are the lengthand the width, the latter being the width of the foot at the point ofthe ball. By reason of the substantially constant relation existingbetween the length of the foot and the distance from the heel to a lineextending transversely through the ball of the foot and by reason of theapproximately uniform increase of width in proportion to the length ofthe foot a scale which is based on the constancy of these relationsmaybe devised which for any given length of foot shall indicate what thewidth shall be, or, given the width at the point of the ball, what thelength shall be. A scale which for any width shall indicate thecorresponding length may be so constructed as to make the results ormarkings indicated thereby referable to any two available coordinateaxes, a method well understood in applied mathematics. In

my present invention I have devised such a scale, applying thereto apointer or index whose position for any result indicated there by on thescale is determined by the position of the ball of the foot undergoingmeasurement, the pointer being cooperatively connected to said ball,that being the point at which the width of the foot is measured.

A further object of the invention is to construct a measuring devicewhich is simple and capable of instantapplication, all as will morefully appear from a detailed description of the invention, which is asfollows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a base-plate provided with achambered or depressed portion 2, and 3 a cover serving as a platformfor the direct support of the foot F. One of the lateral vertical wallsof the chamber 2 is shallower than the opposite one, thereby leaving alongitudinal slit 4 for the free passage of the traveling arm carryingthe pointer, as presently to be seen. The rear end of the plate 1 isprovided with a limiting wall or abutment 5 for the heel of the foot,and the side opposite the slit I is provided with a lateral Wall 6 forthe side of the foot to bear against, as plainly seen in Fig. l.Disposed within the chamber 2 and longitudinally with the plate 1 andmounted slightly above the bottom of the said chamber 2 is a bar or rail7, along which is mounted a runner or plate 8, adapted to reciprocatealong the same, said runner being provided with lateral grooves or ways9 for the reciprocation therethrough of an arm 10, the outward movementof said arm being limited by the innerterminal downwardly-deflected lip11 striking the edge of the rail 7. The arm 10 operates through the slit4t and has an outer parallel inwardlyfolded portion 10, which terminatesat its free end in a curved wing 12 for engaging the ball of the foot.The portion 10 is, moreover, provided with alateral extension 13,terminating in a pointer or index 14:, which cooperates with the scaleS, stamped or printed on the platform. As stated before, the scale isreferable to two coordinate axes w and 1 the former being the axis ofabseissas and the latter the axis of ordinates. The scale itself iscomposed of a series of lines disposed parallel to the axis {23 andspaced suitable distances apart, said distances being spaced in thedirection of the axis Intersecting the first set of parallel lines are aseries of parallel oblique lines marked with characters 3A, AA, A, B,and so on, indicating the width of the foot for any particular length.Since the width of a foot increases progressively with the length, thedesignation of the width for one length will suflice for designating thewidth for any other length, and since the widths are measured alonglines parallel to the axis of abscissas w and at the same time bear aconstant relation to the lengths it follows that the width-lines will bedisposed at an oblique angle to the respective coordinate axes, theangle of obliquity being ascertained from actual experience and beingwell understood by shoe manufacturers and dealers. In the present scalethe lengths are represented by numbers 33, 34c, 35, and so on, and arepurely arbitrary, each number representing so many inches or any otherscale denomination determined upon. In lieu of the arbitrary numbershere shown actual inches may be indicated; but it is not always best forthe customer to know the exact size of shoe he wears, for he may oftenbe under the impression that a shoe does not fit him when it actuallydoes, so that it is sufficient for the dealer to know how to interpretthe length characters or symbols for him.

In having a shoe fitted the customer places his foot upon the platform3, with the heel well against the abutment 5 and the side of the footagainst the wall 6. The clerk then carefully adjusts the wing 12 of theindex to the ball of the foot and notes the results on the scale towhich the index points. In the illustration Fig. 1 the index points to alength corresponding to the numeral 40 and to a width (vulgarlydenominated the last) corresponding to A. For a length corresponding todo the width A would of course be correspondingly greater, being, asbeforestated, that a constant ratio exists between the length and width.For a like reason a 33, EE would correspond approximately to a 37, B inthe matter of width, but of course not in the matter of length. (SeeFig. 1.) The maximum width capacity of the present scale wouldcorrespond to a line parallel to the axis of a measured from the pointof intersection of w y to a point projected on the axis 50 from thelower right-hand corner of the scale, said corner being the point ofintersection between the horizontal line 46 and diagonal line E E.

As seen from the dotted position of the parts in Fig. 3, the arm 10,with its pointer, can be shifted instantaneously to any position toadjust itself to any foot, the runner 8 being-free to reciprocate alongthe rail 7 in one direction and the arm 10 being free to reciprocate ina direction at right angles thereto. I do not,

of course, wish to limit myself to the details of construction by whichthis universal movement for the pointer is possible, as any equivalentthereof would fall within the spirit of my invention.

IVhere no special support is provided for the plate 1, the latter may beheld in the hand by the clerk through the medium of a strap B. Thedevice may be hung up by passing the opening O over a nail or hook. Ofcourse I may vary the scale by varying the characters or symbols thereonwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a foot-measuringdevice a stationary platform for the support of the foot, a heelabutmentfor the same, a scale marked and obliquely disposed on the platformindicating lengths and widths referable to intersecting coordinate axes,and an adjustable 1ndex adapted to be cooperatively connected to theball of the foot supported on the platform, substantially as set forth.

2. In a footmeasuring device, a stationary platform or foot-rest,suitable abutments or walls for the heel and side of the foot carried bythe platform, an adjustable index mounted on the platform and capable oflongitudinal and transverse movement, a wing coupled to the index forengaging the ball of the foot, and an obliquely-disposed scale markedupon the platform indicating lengths and widths referable to twointersecting coordinate axes, substantially as set forth.

3. In afoot-measuring device, a platform or foot-rest, aheel-abutmentand side wall projecting therefrom for limiting the position of thefoot, a longitudinally-movable plate or runner mounted in connectionwith the platform, a reciprocating arm movable transversely to the pathof travel of the runner mounted on, and guided by, the latter, a wingcoupled to said arm and traveling above the plane of the platformadapted to engage the ball of the foot supported by said platform, ascale marked upon the platform having markings referable to coordinateaxes and indicative of the length and width of the foot measured, and apointer connected to the arm cooperating with said scale, substantiallyas set forth.

4. Inafoot-measuringdevice,aplatformfor the support of the foot, a scalemarked thereon comprising a series of parallel lines spaced suitabledistances apart, a second series of parallel lines spaced apart andintersecting the first series at an oblique angle, the first series oflines being marked by characters indicating lengths and the obliqueseries by characters indicating widths, the markings being referable tointersecting coordinate axes, substantially as set forth.

5. Inafoot-measuringdevice,aplatformfor the foot,achamber located belowthe platform,

a rail disposed longitudinally in the chamber, a plate or runner on therail, an arm movable on the runner at right angles to the rail, a slotformed in the side of the measuring device for the free passage of thearm, a parallel in Wardly-foldedportion forming a part of the arm andlocated above the platform, a Wing on said folded portion for engagingthe ball of the foot, an index forming a part of the folded portionaforesaid, the platform having marked thereon a scale indicative oflengths and Widths, a heel-abutment and side Wall for the foot, theparts operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 10

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. GOODBAR. Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, G. L. BELFRY.

